Tearable belts, unwashable jackets supplied to cops!
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 03 2018: Close on the heels of supplying substandard belts to Manipur Police, a new consignment of belts supplied to Manipur Police personnel has turned out to be of the lowest quality.

It is said that the new belts can be torn with bare hands without much effort, informed a source.

Aggrieved with the issuance of belts which were of the lowest quality, some IRB/MR personnel set their belts afire.

Notably, the new belts were issued in December last year not long after the case of supplying sub-standard belts became a major issue in the State which led to suspension of some officials.

It is not only belts, even jackets issued to police personnel turned out to be of the lowest grades.

Tearable belts, unwashable jackets supplied to cops!

As the jackets were made of starched fabric, they lost all their shapes, colours and shrank after a single washing.

As such, most of these jackets have not been washed for a second time even if they are quite dirty.

Some police personnel who washed their jackets for the second time had to purchase jackets from markets as the ones issued to them were no longer usable.

The Government periodically issues belts, trunks, shoes, bed nets, jerseys, socks etc.

These garments are supplied to Manipur Police Headquarters which further distributes them to battalions, stations and posts.

Two types of belts were supplied to Manipur Police in December last year.

These belts received at some places/stations were found to be tearable with bare hands without much efforts.

As such, many of these belts were set afire on the same day they were received, informed the source.

Belts supplied earlier lasted for 10 to 20 years.

The latest supplier(s) was seemingly unfazed with the scam of supplying sub-standard belts which is still a hot topic, said the source.

Apart from belts and jackets, soles of shoes issued to police personnel broke in half within a month.

A large number of police personnel have expressed strong resentment against repeated supply and issuance of sub-standard items to them.

Notably, Manipur Police Department purchased 20,000 leather belts in 2013-14 at the cost of Rs 24,40,00.The belts were supplied by M/S Abdul Gani Khan.

But the belts turned out to be made of sub-standard material like cardboard papers.

Chief Minister N Biren seized the sub-standard belts from godown and showed their 'quality' by tearing them with bare hands in front of media persons.

Pledging that all the culprits involved in the matter would not be allowed to go scot-free, the Chief Minister constituted a four-member enquiry committee to investigate into the matter.

The enquiry committed was headed by Additional Chief Secretary Dr Suhel Akhtar and its members included Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr J Suresh Babu, Special Secretary R Sudhan and IGP (Adm) Dr S Ibocha.

The enquiry committee submitted its report to the Chief Minister on August 18 last year and subsequently two senior police officers Faumei Gonglin and M Kumarjit were suspended.

In connection with the same issue, retired Inspector General S Manglemjao's pension was withheld.

Whereas the suspension orders of the two police officers were revoked, S Manglemjao's pension is still kept withheld.

An order issued by the State Government whereby M/S Abdul Gani Khan was blacklisted was later quashed by the High Court of Manipur.

It is not yet clear whether it was M/S Abdul Gani Khan which supplied the fresh consignment of belts in December last year or another firm, the source added.